Your tonsils and adenoids are part of your lymphatic system. Your tonsils are in the back of your throat and your adenoids are higher up, behind your nose.
The tonsils’ job is to help fight germs that come in through your mouth or nose before they cause infections in the rest of the body. Sometimes, bacteria or viruses get into the tonsils and infect them. When this happens, you have tonsillitis.
Tonsillitis usually makes your throat hurt, making it hard to eat or even swallow. You may also have a fever. Other symptoms include:
- Redder-than-normal tonsils
- A yellow or white coating on your tonsils
- A funny-sounding voice
- Swollen glands in your neck
- Fever
- Bad breath
With your tonsils sore and swollen, your adenoids will also get bigger and can be sore. This may make it hard to breathe and cause ear infections.
To help your throat feel better at home, try the following:
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Eat smooth foods, like jello, soups, popsicles and applesauce.
- Avoid hard, crunchy or spicy foods.
- Use a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier where you spend most of your time.
- Rest.
A doctor may prescribe antibiotics for sore throats. But adenotonsillectomy surgery should be considered when there is airway obstruction. And recurrent infections, especially with strep throat, may also make surgery an option.
